Skies over Fort Phoenix lit up in memory of a friend

Sunday

Mar 3, 2013 at 12:01 AMMar 3, 2013 at 6:52 AM

FAIRHAVEN — More than 100 lanterns lit up the sky over the waters of Fort Phoenix Saturday night in memory of Carl Pacheco, a popular, former Fairhaven High School student who died last year in a car crash.

CURT BROWN

FAIRHAVEN — More than 100 lanterns lit up the sky over the waters of Fort Phoenix Saturday night in memory of Carl Pacheco, a popular, former Fairhaven High School student who died last year in a car crash.

"We want to send Carl as much love tonight as possible," Ellen Tapper, one of the organizers, said before the event. "Carl was literally everyone's best friend."

"He was the nicest kid you could meet and there was no one who would say a bad thing about him," said Christian Melo, who was Pacheco's best friend.

The event was a fundraiser for a scholarship in Pacheco's memory, which will be awarded to a FHS male and female student, who are in high academic standing and play soccer. Pacheco played soccer at FHS and it was his favorite sport, his friends said.

Pacheco, 23, who graduated from FHS in 2006, was killed in January of 2012 when his car struck a tree on Brandt Island Road as he was heading to his home in Mattapoisett.

Tapper said they sold 200 lanterns at $5 apiece and she was overwhelmed by the response from Pacheco's family, friends and former classmates.

She said people were walking up to her and giving her money for the scholarship fund.

The event was planned for last Saturday, a few days after Pacheco's birthday on Feb. 18, but it had to be postponed because of the rain.

Most of the glowing made it into air and they climbed majestically up into the sky and flew easterly over the water towards Mattapoisett.

"It's really just the point of everyone being here together and celebrating his life," Tapper said.